Royal Opera: Madama Butterfly

Synopsis

Puccini’s devastating tragedy sees a young geisha fall in love with an American naval officer. When Cio-Cio-San (star Lithuanian soprano Asmik Grigorian), marries American Naval Officer Pinkerton (Joshua Guerrero), she believes she’s entering a real, binding marriage for life. Forsaking her religion and community, she learns all too late that for Pinkerton, their marriage is merely an illusion – with tragic consequences... With a score that includes Butterfly’s aria, 'Un bel dì, vedremo' (‘One fine day’) and the Humming Chorus, Puccini’s opera is entrancing and ultimately heart-breaking. Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier’s poignant, painterly production takes inspiration from 19th-century European images of Japan.